The Opposition remains determined to bring a Motion of No Confidence against Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) during the next sitting of the House of Assembly (HoA). Photo: YouTube/GIS

It is unclear where the votes of Hon Ronnie W. Skelton (AL) and Hon Marlon A. Penn (R8) will align when the Motion of No Confidence against Premier Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) is brought before the House of Assembly. Photo: YouTube/Internet Source

The House of Assembly will meet on June 3, 2025, for its next sitting. Photo: Internet Source

Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) has been reliably informed that the Motion of No Confidence is, in fact, on the Order Paper for the HoA’s next sitting scheduled to begin on Tuesday, June 3, 2025. 

However, sources have also informed that a specific date on which it will be dealt with cannot be given due to the “extent of the paper”. 

The Opposition has been seeking to bring a motion against Premier Wheatley since September 2024, initially under the leadership of former Opposition Leader Hon Ronnie W. Skelton (AL).

Current Opposition Leader Myron V. Walwyn (R6) confirmed this to our news centre but declined to comment ahead of the upcoming House of Assembly sitting.

New motion, same clauses 

The new Motion of No Confidence scheduled for the upcoming HoA sitting highlights multiple areas where the Opposition believes the government, under Premier Wheatley’s leadership, has consistently underperformed. Many of the grievances cited in this motion echo those raised in the Opposition’s initial motion of no confidence.

The twenty-two clauses in the motion address several concerns, including Premier Wheatley’s overall governance since the government’s formation in April 2023, which the Opposition argues has contributed to a bleak economic outlook for the Territory. They also highlight the underestimation of public officials’ salary increases by approximately $20 million, the Premier’s failure to present a strategic financial plan outlining the government’s vision and goals for its term, and the ongoing challenge of insufficient inward investment in the Territory.

The motion also criticises the Premier’s failure to produce a comprehensive Tourism Plan, the ongoing dilapidated condition of government-owned Prospect Reef, and the misuse of public resources on projects that yield no financial benefits for the people of the Virgin Islands. It highlights the chronic underfunding of the education system and public health institutions, alongside the mistreatment of vulnerable groups within the community.

Additionally, the motion points to shortcomings in agriculture, limited access to funding and capacity-building opportunities for small businesses, farmers, and fisherfolk, as well as issues surrounding the minimum wage increase, the public assistance program, and other concerns.

What will Hons Skelton & Penn do?

Since the formation of The Alliance earlier this year, the five-man Opposition has struggled to present a united front. Hon Myron V. Walwyn (R6), Hon Melvin M. Turnbull (R2), and Hon Stacy R. Mather (AL) formed The Alliance after what they claimed were unsuccessful attempts to merge the then two main opposition parties—the National Democratic Party (NDP) and the Progressive Virgin Islands Movement (PVIM).

Tensions remain high between Alliance members and the other opposition figures, Hon Marlon A. Penn (R8) and Hon Skelton, making it unclear where their votes will align. Hon Skelton declined to comment on the matter when approached by our news centre today, Thursday, May 29, 2025, while attempts to reach Hon Penn were unsuccessful.